<Page>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                         PLANETCAD ANNOUNCES ADOPTION OF
                             STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN

BOULDER, Colo. March 11, 2002--PlanetCAD Inc. (AMEX:PCD), makers of Cycle Time
Reduction(TM) software solutions for the manufacturing supply chain, today
announced that its Board of Directors has adopted a Stockholder Rights Plan. The
Rights Plan grants existing stockholders one right for each outstanding share of
PlanetCAD common stock. The rights become exercisable only if any person or
group acquires at least 15% of PlanetCAD's outstanding common stock or if a
tender offer for PlanetCAD's common stock is announced.

"The Rights Plan is designed to protect the long-term value of our stockholders'
investments and help assure that all stockholders receive equal treatment and
the full value of their shares in any attempt to acquire PlanetCAD. The Rights
Plan will guard the stockholders against partial or inadequate tender offers,
open market accumulations and other abusive or coercive takeover tactics," said
Eugene Fischer, PlanetCAD's Chairman.

Mr. Fischer confirmed that the Board met with PlanetCAD's financial advisor on
March 6, 2002, and that PCD Investments and its representatives did not accept
the Board's invitation to attend that meeting. He also noted that PCD
Investments did not provide answers to the questions raised in PlanetCAD's March
1, 2002 letter to PCD Investments, and that the Board continues to believe those
questions need to be answered satisfactorily before it can analyze PCD
Investment's proposals. "Although the Board and management team have spent
considerable time trying to analyze the PCD Investments proposals, they have not
provided us with enough information to adequately consider their proposals. The
PCD Investments proposals have created a significant distraction for our
management and employees without any corresponding benefit," Mr. Fischer said.

"We want our shareholders, customers, partners and employees to understand that
the PlanetCAD Board will not allow distractions, like those from PCD
Investments, to deter us from executing our business plans," said David
Hushbeck, PlanetCAD's President and CEO. "This is a reaffirmation of PlanetCAD's
commitment to serving its customers and meeting the needs of its employees and
long- and short-term stockholders," said Mr. Hushbeck.

If a person or group becomes the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares
of common stock (except pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of
common stock which the board determines to be fair to and otherwise in the best
interests of
<Page>

PlanetCAD and its stockholders), each holder of a right will have the right to
purchase common stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other
securities) having a value equal to two times the purchase price.

For example, at a purchase price of $5.00 per right, each right would entitle
its holder to purchase $10.00 worth of common stock (or other consideration, as
noted above) for $5.00. Assuming that the common stock had a per share value of
$2.50 at such time, the holder of each right would be entitled to purchase four
shares of common stock for $5.00.

PlanetCAD generally will be entitled to redeem the rights at $0.0001 per right
before they become exercisable.

The rights will expire 10 years after the date of issuance. However, the board
may amend the Rights Plan to provide that the rights will expire at an earlier
date. Details of the Rights Plan will be mailed to stockholders.

Mr. Fischer noted that Rights Plan has no present dilutive effect, nor will it
affect reported earnings per share or change the way PlanetCAD's shares of
common stock are traded. He also noted that neither the adoption of the Plan nor
the dividend distribution of the Rights is taxable to PlanetCAD or its
stockholders.


ABOUT PLANETCAD

PlanetCAD, headquartered in Boulder, Colo., provides Cycle Time Reduction(TM)
solutions for the manufacturing supply chain. PlanetCAD's award-winning products
reduce cycles, costs and waste from design to manufacture by seamlessly
integrating engineering data communication with supply chain transactions.
PlanetCAD's current products include SCS / Envoy(TM), which reduces product
time-to-market by bringing organizations closer together in the manufacturing
supply chain, and the award-winning PrescientQA(TM) design-quality engineering
software suite, which reduces costly design errors, accelerates time-to-market,
and improves the product development process through advanced quality control of
design engineering.

For more information on PlanetCAD or Cycle Time Reduction(TM), visit
www.planetcad.com, or call 888/319-0871.

STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS NEWS RELEASE THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS MAY BE
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. ACTUAL RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE
PROJECTED IN ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT
FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM
<Page>

THOSE ANTICIPATED BY ANY FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION. A DESCRIPTION OF RISKS AND
UNCERTAINTIES ATTENDANT TO PLANETCAD AND ITS INDUSTRY, AND OTHER FACTORS THAT
COULD AFFECT PLANETCAD'S FINANCIAL RESULTS, ARE INCLUDED IN PLANETCAD'S
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION FILINGS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
PLANETCAD'S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-KSB FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000.

PlanetCAD, Cycle Time Reduction, PrescientQA, SCS / Envoy, DriveQA, GeometryQA,
CertifyQA and AuditQA are trademarks of PlanetCAD Inc. DesignQA is a registered
trademark of PlanetCAD Inc. All other products are trademarks of their
respective owners.

CONTACTS:

PlanetCAD Inc., Boulder
Joy Godesiabois, 303/209-9100